Van bomb kills at least 10 in south Philippines

MANILA, Philippines (AP) — The Latest on a van bombing in the southern Philippines (all times local):

noon

Philippine military officials say a bomb explosion killed a soldier, five militiamen and four villagers amid threats of bombings in a southern province.

Regional military spokesman Lt. Col. Gerry Besana said one other government militiaman was wounded in the blast after dawn that shattered a part of the barricades surrounding an army militia outpost in the village of Colonia on the island province of Basilan.

Besana said the security clampdown included setting up road checkpoints, which allowed troops to stop the suspicious van.

The villagers who died in the explosion included relatives of militiamen assigned at the outpost.

10:30 a.m.

The Philippine military says a soldier and four militiamen have been killed by a powerful bomb that exploded while the troops were inspecting a suspicious van on a southern island.

Regional military spokesman Lt. Col. Gerry Besana says two other government militiamen were wounded in the blast after dawn on Tuesday near an army militia outpost in the village of Colonia on the island province of Basilan.

Police say the blast occurred after militiamen flagged down the van at a checkpoint for inspection, although the report had limited details and it’s unclear what happened to the driver.

No group has claimed responsibility.

Regional military commander Lt. Gen. Arnel Dela Vega committed “every available resource under his disposal to identify the perpetrators in the soonest possible time.”